MEET OF THE PYTCHLEY HOUNDS. 149 



grasped the silver horn presented to hira by the farmers. 

 Without taking the smallest offence at the appellation 

 (which after all is a just one, for, as they are the fastest 

 of his two packs, Charles does not object to bringing 

 them to "Waterloo"), in they dash; and in a second 

 Charles and his horse are over the low fliofht of rails, 

 to gallop along a briary path which conducts them to a 

 small open space in the centre of the covert. The 

 greater portion of the field, in coats of many colours, 

 congregate on its right. 



But " quanto sono insensibili questi Inglesi !" Instead 

 of evincing the smallest degree of anxiety, the conversa- 

 tions we have described are renewed ; and though cer- 

 tainly nobody seems to care the hundred- thousandth part 

 of a farthing about what his lips are saying, and though 

 the countenance of every man appears to acknowledge 

 that, on the whole, he is well enough satisfied with this 

 world, yet men and horses remain perfectly cool, and 

 occasionally cold, until it might be fancied by any old 

 soldier standing a mile off that a shell had suddenly 

 burst in the middle of them. "Pray, dont hollar 

 exclaims an old sportsman in a lond whisper. "By 

 Jove, he's away !" screams a very young one in pink, 

 pointing to a shepherd who, grasping a struggling dog 

 with one hand, is holding up his hat with the other. 

 Half a dozen loud, slow, decisive, monotonous blasts from 



